Overnight Rain Brings Chilly Weather To Delhi-NCR; Air Quality Improves

Overnight rainfall brought a sharp change in weather across Delhi-NCR, lowering temperatures and ushering in a wintry chill on Friday. The showers also improved air quality, with Delhi’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) falling to the satisfactory category.

Several parts of the national capital received steady rain late on Thursday night, leaving roads wet and skies overcast in areas such as Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station and Jamia Millia Islamia.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi recorded an overall AQI of 76 on Friday morning. However, monitoring stations reported varying pollution levels. Burari recorded an AQI of 71, while Badarpur registered 142, Uttam Nagar 144, Pusa 138 and Sirifort 127. Dwarka Sector 8 recorded 126, while Jahangirpuri and Rohini reported 128 each.

The improvement followed two consecutive days of AQI readings above 200 on Wednesday and Thursday.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a yellow alert for Delhi and neighbouring NCR districts on October 29, forecasting rainfall and thunderstorms over the next 24 to 48 hours.

Delhi also recorded its coldest October day in four years on Thursday, with temperatures falling 5.6 degrees Celsius below normal amid the weakening Cyclone Arnab.

The IMD forecast generally cloudy skies across Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram and Faridabad, with light to moderate rain, thunderstorms and lightning. Isolated heavy rainfall remained possible during Friday night.

Weather conditions are expected to improve on October 31, with partly cloudy skies and no warnings in place. The region is likely to see mainly clear skies from November 1.

Meanwhile, authorities have flagged a low-to-moderate flash flood risk until October 30 in vulnerable watersheds across parts of Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh.

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